Keir Starmer says Labour searching for better scheme than Ulez

Sir Keir said Labour would look at schemes that did not disproportionately impact people's day-to-day finances

Sir Keir Starmer has said he is searching for a better solution to air pollution in the South East, as he refused to back expansion of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez).

It has been a month since London's Labour mayor widened the scheme.

It now covers all London up to Kent and Surrey, with drivers who do not pay the £12.50 daily fee now receiving fines.

Sir Keir said Labour would look at schemes that did not disproportionately impact people's day-to-day finances.

Before Ulez expanded, protesters argued families and businesses could not pay the charge and people living in Kent and Surrey near the expanded zone were not eligible for scrappage support.

Five Tory-led councils fought a High Court legal challenge against Ulez expansion, but failed.

Schemes must 'be proportionate'

Sir Keir said: "I've always said that we do need to take measures to ensure that we've got clean air. I've got two children, one aged 15 and one aged 12. I don't give them dirty water and I don't want them to breathe in dirty air and I think I speak for pretty well everyone in saying that.

"I do think, though, that the schemes we introduce need to be proportionate and not impact on those that are going to struggle most to pay."

The Labour leader said the expansion of Ulez was a decision made by London mayor Sadiq Khan, who had been under a legal obligation to take measures to mitigate against air pollution.

But Sir Keir claimed the government introduced legislation requiring the mayor to take measures and then "washed its hands of any responsibility for helping people with proper scrappage".

He added: "The mayor has called on the government to extend the scrappage outside of London. The government hasn't done that."

Sir Keir said: "What I want to look at is wider schemes, alternatives, so that we don't disproportionately impact people often struggling in relation to their day-to-day finances."

He said: "What I think needs to happen and will happen if we're privileged enough to come into power is that we'll have a mayor working with the government, strategically.

"That will be across the South East, across the rest of the country, and I think it's that sort of joined-up coordinated response that people want to see."

The Department for Transport said both transport and air quality were devolved to London, which is why they were the direct responsibility of the mayor.

The department also said the government had provided Transport for London £6bn since 2020 to keep public transport moving and almost £102m for projects specifically targeted to help tackle air pollution.